Nemesia plant named ‘Intraiwhitwo’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Nemesia  plant named ‘Intraiwhitwo’, characterized by its upright, outwardly spreading and mounding plant habit; vigorous growth habit; freely branching habit; freely flowering habit; long flowering period; and white-colored flowers with yellow orange-colored centers.

Botanical designation: Nemesia hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘INTRAIWHITWO’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Nemesia plant, botanically known as Nemesia hybrida and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Intraiwhitwo’.

The new Nemesia plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Heidesheim and Gensingen, Germany. The objective of the breeding program is to create new compact Nemesia plants with large attractive flowers.

The new Nemesia plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor during the summer of 2007 in Heidesheim, Germany of a proprietary selection of Nemesia hybrida identified as code number N 05 82-1, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Nemesia hybrida identified as code number N 04 65-50, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Nemesia plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled environment in Heidesheim, Germany during the spring of 2008.

Asexual reproduction of the new Nemesia plant by terminal cuttings in a controlled environment in Gensingen, Germany since 2008, has shown that the unique features of this new Nemesia plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Nemesia have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Intraiwhitwo’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Intraiwhitwo’ as a new and distinct Nemesia plant:

-   -   1. Upright, outwardly spreading and mounding plant habit.     -   2. Vigorous growth habit.     -   3. Freely branching habit.     -   4. Freely flowering habit.     -   5. Long flowering period.     -   6. White-colored flowers with yellow-colored centers.

Plants of the new Nemesia differ from plants of the female parent selection primarily in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Nemesia are more compact than plants of the         female parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Nemesia are more freely branching than         plants of the female parent selection.

Plants of the new Nemesia differ from plants of the male parent selection primarily in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Nemesia are more compact than and not as         trailing as plants of the male parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Nemesia and the male parent selection         differ in flower color as plants of the male parent selection         have yellow-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Nemesia can be compared to plants of Nemesia hybrida ‘Intraiwhi’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 17,502. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Gensingen, Germany, plants of the new Nemesia differed from plants of ‘Intraiwhi’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Nemesia were more vigorous than plants of         ‘Intraiwhi’.     -   2. Plants of the new Nemesia were more freely branching than         plants of ‘Intraiwhi’.     -   3. Plants of the new Nemesia had larger flowers than plants of         ‘Intraiwhi’.     -   4. Plants of the new Nemesia and ‘Intraiwhi’ differed slightly         in flower color.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Nemesia plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Nemesia plant.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Intraiwhitwo’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the top of the sheet is a close-up view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Intraiwhitwo’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

Plants used for the aforementioned photographs and following description were grown under conditions which closely approximate commercial production conditions during the spring in 16.5-cm containers in an outdoor nursery in Bonsall, Calif. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 14° C. to 21° C., night temperatures ranged from 7° C. to 10° C. and light levels ranged from 7,000 to 10,000 foot-candles. Plants were pinched three times and were 3.5 months old when the photographs and description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Nemesia hybrida ‘Intraiwhitwo’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Nemesia             hybrida identified as code number N 05 82-1, not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of Nemesia             hybrida identified as code number N 04 65-50, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By terminal cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 10 days at 20° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 14 days at 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 14 days             at 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About 14 to 20             days at 20° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; white in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Upright, outwardly spreading and             mounding plant habit; vigorous growth habit; freely             branching habit; about six to eight primary branches develop             per plant with numerous secondary laterals.         -   Plant height.—About 25.5 cm.         -   Plant diameter.—About 40 cm. -   Lateral branch description:     -   -   Length.—About 24 cm.         -   Diameter.—About 4 mm.         -   Internode length.—About 2 cm to 5 cm.         -   Strength.—Strong.         -   Aspect.—Mostly upright to outwardly spreading.         -   Texture.—Smooth, glabrous.         -   Color.—Close to 146C. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite, simple.         -   Length.—About 3.8 cm.         -   Width.—About 1.9 cm.         -   Shape.—Lanceolate.         -   Apex.—Acute.         -   Base.—Attenuate.         -   Margin.—Serrate.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate; arcuate.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 137B.             Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 146B. Fully             expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 137B; venation,             close to 138A. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close             to 146B; venation, close to 146B.         -   Petioles.—Length: About 4 mm. Diameter: About 4 mm. Texture,             upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper             surface: Close to 144A. Color, lower surface: Close to 146B. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower arrangement and habit.—Bilabiate single flowers             arranged in loose terminal racemes; flowers develop             acropetally towards the apex; flowers face upright to             outwardly; freely flowering habit with about 22 to 24             flowers per inflorescence.         -   Fragrance.—Faint; sweet, vanilla-like.         -   Natural flowering season.—Long flowering period, in             California, plants flower from May through September;             flowering continuous during this period.         -   Flower longevity.—Flowers last about four to five days on             the plant; flowers not persistent.         -   Inflorescence height.—About 7 cm to 9.5 cm.         -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 4.2 cm.         -   Flower width.—About 2 cm.         -   Flower length.—About 2.3 cm.         -   Flower depth.—About 1.2 cm.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 1 cm. Diameter: About 8 mm.             Shape: Oval with a short spur. Color: Close to 155C.         -   Petals.—Arrangement: Five petals; two upper and two lateral             petals fused at base to form an upright lobed and arched             upper or banner lip; lower petal modified into a large lower             lip with convex oval protuberance and short nectar spur.             Shape: Oval to rounded. Apex: Rounded. Margin: Entire; lower             petal slightly sinuate and fimbriate. Length: Upper petals:             About 8 mm. Lateral petals: About 7 mm. Lower petal: About             1.7 cm. Width: Upper petals: About 6 mm. Lateral petals:             About 8 mm. Lower petal: About 1.2 cm. Texture, upper and             lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; protuberance on lower lip             is pubescent. Color: When opening, upper and lower surfaces:             Close to NN155D. Fully opened, upper surface: Close to             NN155D; protuberance, close to 17A to 17B; thin streaks at             base of upper petals, close to 183A. Fully opened, lower             surface: Close to NN155D; nectar spur, close to NN155D.             Throat: Close to NN155D.         -   Sepals.—Arrangement: Calyx star-shaped with five sepals             fused at the base. Length: About 4 mm. Width: About 2 mm.             Shape: Elliptical. Apex: Acute; recurved. Margin: Entire.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent. Color, upper             and lower surfaces: Close to 137A.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 5.2 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm.             Angle: Erect to about 45° from vertical depending on             position. Strength: Strong. Texture: Sparsely pubescent.             Color: Close to 146A.         -   Pedicels.—Length: About 1.8 cm. Diameter: About 1 mm. Angle:             About 30° to 45° from peduncle axis. Strength: Strong.             Texture: Sparsely pubescent. Color: Close to 146A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity/arrangement: Four per             flower. Filament length: About 2.5 mm. Filament color: Close             to 157D. Anther shape: Oval. Anther length: Less than 1 mm.             Anther color: Close to 158D. Pollen amount: Scarce. Pollen             color: Close to 8A. Pistils: Quantity: One per flower.             Pistil length: About 2 mm. Style length: About 1 mm. Style             color: Close to 145C. Stigma shape: Rounded. Stigma color:             Close to 145B. Ovary color: Close to 144A.         -   Seed/fruit.—Seed and fruit development have not been             observed on plants of the new Nemesia. -   Pathogen/pest resistance: Plants of the new Nemesia have not been     observed to be resistant to pests and pathogens common to Nemesia     plants. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Nemesia have been observed to     have good garden performance and to tolerate wind and rain and     temperatures ranging from about 1° C. to about 30° C. 

1. A new and distinct Nemesia plant named ‘Intraiwhitwo’ as illustrated and described. 